Communication between frames of a web browser

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus of providing communication between frames of a web browser which is arranged to enforce a same origin security policy for communication between frames. The method comprises, receiving a hub document of a hub origin into a hub frame of the web browser. Receiving a first application document of a first application origin into a first application frame of the web browser, the first application origin being different to the hub origin. Communicating between the hub document and the first application document within the web browser using a cross origin communication mechanism.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of providing communication between a plurality of frames instantiated in a web browser which is arranged to enforce a same origin security policy for communication between frames, the method comprising:
 receiving a hub document of a hub origin into a hub frame, wherein the hub frame is one of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser; 
 receiving a first application document of a first application origin into a first application frame, wherein the first application frame is another one of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, the first application origin being different to the hub origin; 
 receiving one or more further application documents into one or more corresponding further application frames, wherein each further application frame is a respective further frame of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, each further application document being from a corresponding further application origin different than the hub origin and each other application origin; and 
 communicating, using the cross origin communication mechanism, between the first application document in the first application frame and one or more of the further application documents in one or more of the further application frames via the hub document in the hub frame, said communicating comprising:
 the first application document sending a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, wherein the message identifies the one or more further application documents as one or more intended recipients, and 
 the hub document forwarding the message to the identified one or more intended recipients using the cross origin communication mechanism. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the first application document trapping an event and passing the event to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document taking action in respect of the trapped event. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the event comprises a selection of a hyperlink, and the hub document taking action in respect of the trapped event comprises the hub document arranging for navigation of a frame to the hyperlink. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  comprising the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism to poll the first application document in the first application frame. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising the hub document restarting the first application document if the first application document becomes unresponsive to the poll. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 the first application document storing one or more variables using the hub document; and subsequent to the hub document restarting the first application document: 
 the first application document retrieving at least one of the one or more variables from the hub document; and 
 the first application document using the at least one retrieved variable. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  comprising the first application document sending a broadcast message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document sending the broadcast message to a plurality of the other application documents using the cross origin communication mechanism. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  comprising the first application document sending an addressed message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document sending the addressed message to the one or more addressee application documents using the cross origin communication mechanism. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the hub document maintaining a register, and the first application document sending a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document sending the message to one or more recipient application documents using the cross origin communication mechanism, the recipient application documents being determined according to the register. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein each application document is one of a plurality of classes of application document, and further comprising the first application document sending a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document sending the message to one or more recipient application documents using the cross origin communication mechanism, the recipient application documents being determined according to class of at least one of the first application document and the one or more recipient application documents. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the first application document sending a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, and the hub document sending the message to one or more identified ones of the further application documents using the cross origin communication mechanism, wherein the message is one of a plurality of message classes, the identified further application documents being identified according to a message class of the message. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  wherein each application document implements a tool in a GUI desktop environment. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the application documents provide administrative controls for the hub document. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the first application document storing one or more variables using the hub document. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 the first application document storing one or more variables using the hub document; one of the one or more further application documents retrieving at least one of the one or more variables from the hub document; and 
 said further application document using the at least one retrieved variable. 
 
     
     
       16. Apparatus comprising one or more processors and a memory, the memory having stored thereon:
 a web browser, executable by the processor; 
 a plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, wherein the web browser is arranged to enforce a same origin security policy for communication between the frames of the plurality of frames; 
 a hub document from a hub origin executing within a hub frame, wherein the hub frame is one of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser; 
 a first application document, from a first application origin different to said hub origin, executing within a first application frame, wherein the first application frame is another one of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, wherein the hub document and the first application document implement a cross origin communication mechanism for communication between the hub document and the first application document; and 
 one or more further application documents executing within corresponding further application frames, wherein each further application frame is a respective further frame of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, and each further application document implementing the cross origin communication mechanism and being from a corresponding further application origin different than the hub origin and each other application origin, 
 wherein one of the application documents is arranged to send a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, wherein the message identifies the one or more further application documents as one or more intended recipients, and 
 the hub document is arranged to forward the message to the identified one or more intended recipients using the cross origin communication mechanism. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  arranged to provide a desktop environment in which each application document corresponds to a desktop tool and provides communication with one or more others of the desktop tools via the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism. 
     
     
       18. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising computer program code arranged to, when executed on a suitable computer system, put into effect the steps of:
 receiving a hub document of a hub origin into a hub frame, wherein the hub frame is one of a plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, wherein the web browser is arranged to enforce a same origin security policy for communication between the frames of the plurality of frames; 
 receiving a first application document of a first application origin into a first application frame, wherein the first application frame is another one of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, the first application origin being different to the hub origin; 
 receiving one or more further application documents into one or more corresponding further application frames, wherein each further application frame is a respective further frame of the plurality of frames instantiated in the web browser, and each further application document being from a corresponding further application origin different than the hub origin and each other application origin; and 
 communicating between the first application document in the first application frame, and one or more of the further application documents in one or more of the further application frames via the hub document in the hub frame, said communicating comprising:
 the first application document sending a message to the hub document using the cross origin communication mechanism, wherein the message identifies the one or more further application documents as one or more intended recipients, and 
 the hub document forwarding the message to the identified one or more intended recipients using the cross origin communication mechanism.